The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-07-21
ears as the foundation for this

tors and laymen that the financial
needs of the Church are in such con-
dition and demand as to require resort
to all possible schemes to secure funds
for Church, benevolent, and pastoral
support festivals, concerts, broom
drills by young ladies, suppers, and
socials, denominated by various names,
such as husband milk, pink, red, old
maids, rib, donkey, tambourine, old
bachelors, and others that impress
many as verging at least in name on
the variety order.
In many of our country Churches
these are held on Saturday night, in
order to secure the attendance of
young men; and almost to midnight
Of Saturday our ladies are engaged in
selling, and our people in eating and
drinking, in the house Of God; and
what plight these Churches are in
for Sabbath morning, and in how
much worse plight are the people for
Sabbath service! ....,
And all this for Church financial
need, for Christ's sake, in the current
expenses of his Church, indebtedness
Ou ulo CuuICllSS, duU SuppOIU VI LIS
ministers! And | have known instan-
ces where these have been restored to
for the conference benevolent appor-
tionments Of the charge. -
There is certainly need for calling .
halt in this tendency, and there is a
feature connected with it that [ re-
gard as very serious-it is that our
pastors are expected to enter hearth
ly into these plans, participate lavish
ly in all that appertains to to their
success, announcing them and COM
mending them from the pulpit on the
Sabbath, talking them up among the
outsiders, and to be constantly re-
minded that the Church is in debt,
out Of repair, out Of wood for fuel and
out Of oil for light, and, in some in
stances it might be truthfully said,
out of religion the special and
important work of our pastor to
which he is called al.l ordained is al
most lost sight os3taE looking after
and in aiding in thlse secular and
questionable demands Of the Church.
Do we not need change in these
things? Ought not our ministers to be
relieved from all responsibility and
required participation in this matters,
and give themselves wholly to the
study and ministrations of Gods
Word, pastoral visiting, and pleading
with the people to come to the sane
tuary, and gathering the children and
young people into our Sabbath
schools?
We certainly out to build palmer
and less costly churches, and dedicate
them absolutely out of debt, and also
to meet our current expenses and pas
toral support and conference benevo-
lences without resort to such means.
Suppose the members Of the Meth
odist Epistopal Church throughout
our country should change front in
regard to these things, and they, with
their pastors, give themselves to pray
er and study of Gods Word, and
make our congregational and social
means of grace attractive and profta-
BILE to the people, | firmly believe that
in one year a decided and satisfactory
change would take place, that would
reveal Gods glory in the Church and
be to the honor of an intelligent
membership of Christ's visible body.
Will not our laymen step to the
front in this matter? Can it be that
our laymen are not capable Of doing
their part of Gods work as trustees
and stewards of his house, without re-
sorting to such methods?
Why may not our lay electoral con-
ferences this year give some attention
to this matter? In the name Of our
God, let US set up our banners and
try it.-Western Christian AdUocate.
There will be found many good peo-
pie who will differ with the writer of
the foregoing regarding the methods
Of raising money FOR Church purpos-
es and contend that all such methods
are harmless. We do not wish to be
recorded as criticising any who may
differ with us in these matters, but
will say that it is very difficult mat
ter to define just where moral infu-
ences end, and immoral influences be-
gin, in these matters. 1t is the Gus
tom Of the pulpit to denounce every
thing of the nature Of shows, theatri-
Gals, and the like, as we'll as the place
where these performances are given.
Yet it happens, not infrequently that
these very performances are emulated
in the interest of the Church, and
while the Church performance may
be divested of most, or all, Of the fea-
lures deemed Objectionable in the
travelling show, it is very difficult to
get even the shrewdest observers to
understand the difference from a NOR
al standpoint.
It is certainly true that the Church
entertainment business has been
greatly abused. This is also true of
the Camp Meeting" This latter
feature of Church work. has degen-
Grated in different parts Of the coun-
try to most contemplate and sacri-
legious speculation, and the Camp
Meeting IS RUIZ Oh the same principle
or lack of principles the horse
race and the side-show. In fact. it is
a miserable scheme for raising money
in the name of the Lord for private
purposes. Many of these Camp Meet
ings are nothing but seasons OF mock
cry and blasphemy, and serve to re-
tard, very materially, the legitimate
work Of the Church.
Why would it not be better to con.
tribute money direct, if the Church is
in need? And where is the necessity
for running up Indebtedness in the
Church? Why should Church incul
an indebtedness of three thousand dol.